Sanders ardently opposed the trade deal that led to Panama Papers abuses; Clinton supported it
Bernie Sanders denouncing the Panama tax haven arrangement, in 2011.
The Panama Papers scandal exploded this week, with revelations that many of the world’s most powerful politicians are implicated in widespread, systemic corruption.
Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, the right-wing prime minister of Iceland, was pressured into resignation after the leak exposed his exploitation of tax havens. He is just one among a dozen current and former heads of state in the middle of the controversy.
Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders spoke up about the issue on Monday. His campaign posted to Facebook a video of an October 2011 speech in the U.S. Senate, in which Sanders condemned the Panama Free Trade Agreement that was being considered at the time.
Then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Obama both supported the Bush administration-negotiated agreement, which ultimately made tax evasion an even larger problem. Progressive NGOs and watchdogs warned that this would happen at the time, but Clinton and Obama ignored them and strongly pushed for the deal.
Sanders, on the other hand, was one of the few voices to challenge the neoliberal trade deal.
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
